Wind energy is one of the fastest growing renewable energy sources worldwide. The significant increase in the installed capacity of wind farms anticipates a promising scenario in terms of clean electricity generation and, therefore, in the reduction of carbon emissions.
This scenario offers attractive opportunities for investors seeking to contribute to sustainable development and to obtain attractive long-term financial returns in a constantly evolving sector. In this context, risk and profitability analysis are key to assessing investment in wind farms. Key indicators used in the profitability analysis of wind farms include, for example, the Net Present Value (NPV), the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and the Payback Period for the Investment (PPI).
These types of indicators help determine the financial viability of the project, as well as its ability to generate profits over time, but investors also take into account other factors that are key to achieving the optimal performance of a wind farm.
Without going into investment models and their financing, the success of wind farm investment is closely linked to factors such as the location of the wind farm (wind resource and micrositing studies are essential to identify the best location for turbines and thus maximise energy production); the implementation of advanced technologies, such as state-of-the-art wind turbines with remote monitoring and control systems, significantly increases the operational efficiency of the farm; the correct functioning of the power transmission infrastructure and a preventive maintenance system in the farm, which is decisive in prolonging the useful life of the turbines and avoids costly downtime and maximises energy production over time.
In this context, tools like ARSOS are essential. It is Green Eagle Solutions’ world-class automation suite for top-tier utilities and Independent Power Producers (IPPs). ARSOS seamlessly integrates all renewable assets, autonomously executes control commands and manages data workflows across a farm.
The ARSOS robot facilitates the detection, analysis and resolution or escalation of anomalies at the WTG and inverter level. It automates fault response and troubleshooting. It also helps optimise grid and spot market participation (from monitoring multi-technology portfolios to automatically curtailing power supply based on grid requirements and market opportunities). And it meets the requirements of grid operators and local environmental regulations.
ARSOS currently manages more than 25GW of energy in more than 15 countries in an automated way; it carries out more than 150,000 automations per month and multiplies the capacity of the farms in which it operates by a factor of five.
As technology evolves and helps lower production costs, investment in renewable energy production is becoming increasingly attractive. Demand for renewable energy is growing steadily, offering great opportunities to expand wind generation capacity around the world.
